wreck 1 of 2

1
as in wreckage
the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed found the wreck of the ship lying on the floor of the ocean

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2
as in wrecking
the destruction or loss of a ship the wreck cost the insurance company millions of dollars

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3
as in collision
the violent coming together of two bodies into destructive contact a dangerous stretch of roadway that has been the scene of numerous car wrecks

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wreck

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to scuttle
to cause irreparable damage to (a ship) by running aground or sinking many an unwary captain has wrecked his ship on the shoals that surround the island

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2
as in to ruin
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of most of the furniture on the ground floor was wrecked by the floodwaters

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wreck
Noun
Your job is to break up the wrecks of massive ships and space hulks, carving them apart to release valuable components which can be reused or recycled at huge profits by your despicable space overlords. Alan Bradley, Space.com, 7 Oct. 2025 The raid left the building a wreck. Michael Loria, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
Brian Schottenheimer battles through injuries Heading into the game against the Jets, Schottenheimer’s offensive line was wrecked by injury. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Oct. 2025 Centuries ago, a fleet of Spanish ships laden with gold, silver and jewels taken from the New World was sailing back to Spain when a hurricane wrecked the flotilla on July 31, 1715, spilling the treasures into the sea, according to the 1715 Fleet Society. Kate Payne, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wreck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wreck
Noun
  • Two broken palm trees rested on the wreckage.
    Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 12 Oct. 2025
  • Two people were pulled from the helicopter wreckage and three others on the ground were hurt, a city of Huntington Beach spokesperson said in a statement.
    Alyssa Pone, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The coaches also decided King’s wrecking-ball approach was effective.
    Seth Emerson, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
  • The addresses listed in the wrecking permits border the east of the truck plant where Ford makes its iconic Super Duty trucks, Expedition SUVs and luxury Lincoln Navigators.
    Olivia Evans, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In their simulations, the dark matter collisions produce the same signal and have the same properties as those observed in the real world.
    Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The collision is being investigated as the city’s 29th roadway death of the year, and the 14th to involve a pedestrian who died.
    Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The moves scuttled negotiations for weeks before subsequent talks salvaged the fragile trade truce.
    John Liu, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
  • While not explicitly mimicking their moves, from scuttling to pounces the choreography does have a vigor that drives friendly and fierce moves into the fantastic.
    Guillermo Perez, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Back in January, Preston remembered filming My Best Friend’s Wedding — and how an iconic scene ruined crab and lobster for her.
    Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Packages of flying tortillas thrown at the wrong time, or pocket knives, would only hurt a reputation that Texas Tech has worked doggedly to change and show that the Red Raiders are at home on a national stage, and not the crazy drunk uncle ruining a holiday.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Some residents have found debris as far as two miles from the facility, according to the Hickman County Sheriff’s office.
    Isabel Rosales, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Although the company has made major strides since Starship debuted in 2023, a spate of four failures marred its progress this year, including two explosions that rained debris over parts of the Caribbean.
    Denise Chow, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Some automakers have started laminating side windows to prevent shattered glass during a crash.
    Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 15 Oct. 2025
  • The crash remains under investigation by the Georgia State Patrol, authorities said.
    Christopher Cann, USA Today, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The four tried to sail across the sea but were shipwrecked in Spain, where all four of them survived and went on to their next adventure in Not Mexico together.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Two married sea-explorers are stranded, Gilligan-style, after a storm shipwrecks their craft.
    Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wreck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wreck. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

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